Both in area and population Bulgaria is one of the smaller European countries.

. ...When God our Lord gave the lands to the people, the Bulgarian ploughed in his field. He heard about this division much later: the vast plains, the high mountains and warm seas already belonged to others. God wondered what to do: that man who took best care of the land and cultivated it with the biggest love and care had no territory. Then God took a small piece of Paradise and gave it to the Bulgarian: it was very small but it had everything: warm and hospitable sea, high snowy mountains, fertile plains, limpid lakes and deep rivers. And all that situated at an area of 67 000 sq. miles /111 000 sq. km/.
And it was not an ordinary land but a paradise land blessed by God.

You will hear this legend from our guides when explaining the great variety of landscape in Bulgaria. It makes our country be visited in winter because of the ski season and in summer because of its fine sandy beaches. Actually it can be visited all year round due to its temperate healthy climate, due to the numerous mineral springs and their curative powers.

The mountains
Rila Mountain is the highest mountain in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula.
Its ancient name - Roula has Thracian origin, which the Slavs changed to Rila. It means "water mountain". The highest peak in the mountain is Moussala - 2925,4 m. and it is in the Eastern part of the mountain. Here is also the highest glacier lake of Rila Mountain - the Icy Lake (2709 m.) situated just under Moussala peak to its north side.
The main constructive element in the mountain is the granite although there are also marble, crystal slates and others. The reiterated freezing of Rila played an important role in the formation of its relief. The numerous circuses, the well-defined glacier valleys, many alpine peaks and glacier lakes prove for that.
The middle part of Rila Mountain is rich in glacier lakes. Here is the largest glacier lake on the Balkan peninsular - the Stinky Lake that occupies an area of 212 dеcares.
Some of the most important lake groups as well as the largest and most famous group of lakes on the Balkan peninsular - the seven Rila lakes are in the northwestern part of Rila Mountain.
There aren't many lakes in the Southwestern part of Rila but here is one of the oldest reserves in Bulgaria - Parangalitza known for its century old spruces.
In the heart of Rila Mountains, at an altitude of 1147 m, the most famous monument of the Bulgarian culture and architecture of the Revival period is situated - the Rila Monastery, known also as the Holy Rila cloister. Ivan Rilski founded it in the 10th Cent.
The Rila monastery is under the protection of UNESCO as a monument with great value and importance for the worldwide culture.

The Pirin mountain has preserved their natural wildness. Its alpine character, the cosmic like peaks and large forests make it a lovely place both for mountaineers and skiers. The highest peak in Pirin mountain is 2 915 m /9 531 ft/.
The Rozhen monastery is situated at the foot of the mountain in its south part. Founded in the 10th Cent., for centuries on it has been a sacred place for the Bulgarians.

The Rhodopi Mountain is a huge labyrinth of hills with different longitude, height and direction divided by deep river valleys.
It is one of the oldest folded mountains. The Karst regions are very interesting with their deep river gorges, large caves and unique forms.
Here there are 15 reserves, some of them included in the list of UNESCO. The mountain is rich in mineral springs.
The deepest and most attractive river gorges are in the western part of the mountains - these are the gorge of Trigrad, Bouinovo, as well as the rock phenomena "The odd bridges", the natural lakes of Chaira and others.
The second biggest and important monastery in Bulgaria - the Bachkovo monastery, is situated in the Eastern Rhodopi. It was been founded in 1083.

Vitosha Mountain rises to the south of the capital Sofia. The so-called "stone rivers" - moraines are unique natural phenomenon. These are heaps of huge rounded granite stones on many of the river valleys that extend to 2 km longitude and 50 m width. This phenomenon is the mountain's symbol.
There are valuable historical monuments here, most famous of them being the Boyana church (dates back to 1259) which paintings belonging to the Turnovo artistic School are the most well preserved paintings in Europe for that time. The church is in the list of UNESCO for precious worldwide works.

The mineral springs:
There are over 500 mineral springs in Bulgaria. More than one hundred of them are used in the treatment of a great variety of conditions. Bulgaria holds a leading place in the world for the number of mineral springs on its territory. The waters of these springs have curative powers. Most of them have been known since ancient times.
Resorts with good facilities have been developed beside most of the mineral springs whose waters have curative powers. The mineral baths of Bulgaria attract more and more patients from abroad. The best known Bulgarian spas are Sandanski, Hissar, Velingrad.

The Black sea
Long sandy beaches, limpid sea, fish harmless for man and good for culinary treat in the side sea restaurants… The local sharks are of this kind: we advise you to taste their delicious fillet. The old name of the sea given by the Greeks was "hospitable" sea and it totally responds to its nowadays appearance. Do you know that Titanic discoverer has been looking for the Noah's Ark in its waters on a second expedition? One of the attractions here is so called. It's not clear what the underwater archeologists will find but the tourist for sure always finds his treasures: a holiday, entertainments, friendly sun and magic memories that warm him till… next summer.

Some historical facts
Our country is situated in the centre of the Balkan Peninsula, at a lively crossroads of different cultures. Bulgaria is third in the world after Greece and Italy considering the amount of the archeological monuments. It is quite interesting to visit the Magura cave where remains of the later glacier period have been found. This cave is famous for its rock paintings - hunting scenes, dances, and animistic, totemic cult figures. The world known Thracian culture thrived in these lands in the period of antiquity. The oldest gold in the world, which dates from 8 000 years ago has Thracian origin. Most famous are the golden treasure of Panagyuriste and the silver treasure of Rogozen, the flying horse from Sveshtari and the burial church plates from the Thracian tombs. …....... тук се сменят последователно карт. 123 и 124
The most famous persons born in Thrace of that time are Orpheus and Spartacus. Orpheus was born in Rhodopi Mountain, he lived shortly before the Trojan war and took place in the Argonauts campaign together with Jason and Hercules. There are preserved part of the Orpheus hymns and short descriptions of the mysteries of Orpheus by means of which the esoteric communities of the Mediterranean ancient world initialized their young members.
It is known that Spartacus was born in the foothills of the Pirin Mountain. The remains of the Thracian, Hellenistic and Roman culture are numerous. There have been preserved, excavated and restored the whole of some town complexes - Augusta Trajana, Trimontzium, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Pautalia, Akre, Messembria, Apolonia and many others.
The ancient Bulgarians are the fundamental ethnical component in the structure of the Bulgarian state of the Middle ages. Their land of origin is in Central Asia - the regions of Pamir and Hindukush Mountains. There they founded two famous states - BALGAR and BALHARA. The ancient Bulgarians are highly civilized social formation and are the main cultural dominant in the Middle Asian territories. Their solar calendar, which is perfect from astronomic and mathematical point of view, is a fact that speaks for that. UNESCO recognizes the calendar of the ancient Bulgarians to be the most precise one compared to all known calendars.
Bulgaria is considered as an Orthodox country since 865. The creation and recognition of the Bulgarian and Slav script from the brothers Cyril and Methodius with Bulgarian origin, turned to be a very important fact in historical and cultural aspect. Nowadays the Pope has declared them as patrons of civilized Europe.